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A Mother’s Voice: Impacts of Spousal Communication Training on Child Health Investments

Author

Listed:
  • Martina Bjorkman Nyqvist

    (Stockholm School of Economics)

  • Seema Jayachandran

    (Princeton University)

  • Celine Zipfel

    (Stockholm School of Economics)

Abstract

Building on prior evidence that mothers often have a stronger preference for spending on children than fathers do, we use a randomized experiment to evaluate the impacts of a communication training program for mothers on child health in Uganda. The hypothesis is that the training will enable women to better convey their knowledge and preferences to their husbands and, thereby, boost investments in children’s health. We find that the program increases spousal discussion about the family’s health, nutrition, and finances. However, this does not increase overall adoption of health-promoting behaviors or improve child anthropometrics. One exception is that the communication training increases women’s and children’s intake of protein-rich foods as well as household spending on these foods.

Suggested Citation

  • Martina Bjorkman Nyqvist & Seema Jayachandran & Celine Zipfel, 2023. "A Mother’s Voice: Impacts of Spousal Communication Training on Child Health Investments," Working Papers 306, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Center for Economic Policy Studies..
    • Handle: RePEc:pri:cepsud:306
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Spousal Communication; Children's Health; Uganda;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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